Election 2001: Which party will do the most for Digital Britain?

Still not made up your mind which way to vote? Over the last four weeks, chief reporter Sally Watson has been following the campaign trail to find out about each party's high-tech agenda, with not altogether positive results. Find out how the parties faired...

The UK IT industry employs over 1.2 million people, provides almost 10 per cent of GDP and represents 15 per cent of total UK trade. As traditional sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture decline, the growth of the information and communication technology sector has been fast and healthy.

Why then has it been the non-issue of the election? Labour's business manifesto wasted just 232 words on the subject - out of 44 pages. A study from the University of Loughborough counted how many times different issues had been mentioned during the campaign, and technology was nowhere to be seen.

The Labour Party machine has come up with plenty of amusing internet goodies to keep the voting public entertained. General election screensavers and wallpaper, interactive games where Michael Portillo and Billy Bandwagon battle it out, and websites aimed at the youth vote or silver surfers.

But amongst all the campaign toys, where is the real meat to the Labour high-tech manifesto?

During the last four years, the Labour government has produced a series of badly drafted, ill-thought-out internet legislation. Most of the changes were needed to plug gaps in tax or criminal law, but time and time again Labour used a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

A week before the election was announced, a bill was rushed through the Lords intended to crack down on unlicenced security guards. In the almost indecent haste, one thing was overlooked - yes, the law will help curb abuses by wheel clampers and night-club bouncers, but it could also end up affecting IT security professionals.

Ecommerce minister Patricia Hewitt and Home Office minister Charles Clarke have done their best to reassure the industry that they have no such intention. But if that really is the case, it begs the question, why couldn't they simply have exempted the IT industry? (see Geeks need a licence: Official, http://www.silicon.com/a44296 )

The comforting reassurance that is "we have such intention", comes up again in relation to the RIP Act. One of Labour's most notorious pieces of legislation, it gave the police powers to snoop on web traffic and emails.

I caught up with the e-minister in her constituency of Leicester West to press yet again for an answer on whether this meant data will be stored over a period of years, allowing law enforcement agencies to 'fish' backwards for evidence of illegal activity.

"Charles Clarke and I have made it quite clear that we have no proposals to mandate data retention for seven years," Hewitt told me.

Well that's alright then. But if there are no proposals now, what about in the future? "We have no proposals at all," Hewitt repeated, a confident answer, but one that doesn't rule out the possibility of future U-turns. (see, The RIP Act: What the parties say, http://www.silicon.com/a44774 )

Labour, of course, make the easiest target. They've just enjoyed four years in power and, barring a minor miracle, look set to stay in Whitehall. But what of the opposition?

When I suggest to shadow chancellor Michael Portillo that his party isn't taking the high-tech vote seriously enough, he is horrified. "I'm sorry if you've got that impression, because it simply isn't true," he said.

The Conservative ecommerce platform centres on its plans to revoke the largely unpopular IR35 tax reform. It's a change that will go down well with IT contractors, but the party has been strangely reluctant to give details of what will replace IR35 when it is gone. (see, Election special: Blair gives a little under IR35 pressure, http://www.silicon.com/a44713 )

The Tories also have plans to improve the tax regime for share options and tackle the problem of broadband black spots in the countryside. But there is little meat on the bones. RIP will be "reviewed", as will policies on domain name ownership and cybersquatting. A general policy of non-intervention is to be applauded, but adds nothing new to the debate.

Despite topping silicon.com's survey of 'wired-up' MPs (see, They want your vote, but not your emails, http://www.silicon.com/a44522 ) the Liberal Democrats have the flimsiest IT manifesto. They also promise to revoke IR35, amend RIP and reform Capital Gains Tax.

All three parties agree on the importance of the high-tech industry to the UK's economy and all three have pledged to promote IT skills and improve computer access. But the really tough question of how to harvest the industry's success without damaging its future is still a major stumbling block.

The truth is, it doesn't really matter which box voters put their 'X' in this time round. If the next government is to get to grips with the knowledge economy, it will need the industry's help.

New Labour Part II is lined up to make the same mistakes as before, and if political apathy remains rife in the high-tech community, they might just get away with it.